Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 22, 2023

1,450 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction report →

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $216.81/cwt ≈ $1,485/hd at 685 lb · 49 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $210.86/cwt +2.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,307/hd at 620 lb · 45 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $260.86/cwt ≈ $1,197/hd at 459 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,450 917 1,140
Feeder cattle 746 395 355
Slaughter cattle 456 332 486
Replacement cattle 248 190 299

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed on steers and firm undertones were noticed on heifers. Demand for feeders was mostly good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average, with a limited number of attractive consignments. Most cattle were sold in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly active again this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm on all offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive, however weigh up conditions were very attractive to buyers and most buyers showed very good demand for high dressing cows. Packer buyers opted to send a few set of cows to feed again this week. Feeding cows sold steady to firm on an attractive offering. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Bull quality, overall, was better today than last sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand. Buyers showed the best demand for high quality cows which had lost calves. Young offerings sold mostly 10.00 higher with sharply higher instances noticed on very attractive offerings. A complete dispersion of cows sold today. Offerings were met with mostly good demand. Bred heifer and cow offerings were very attractive.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
554–575 566 9 245.00–250.00 $247.18 $1,399 -5.82
603 603 5 240.00 $240.00 $1,447 +5.00
660–694 685 49 215.00–221.00 $216.81 $1,485 —
718–749 736 16 200.00–203.00 $201.10 $1,480 —
751–785 764 26 187.00–199.00 $193.20 $1,476 —
802–810 804 7 181.00–183.50 $182.78 $1,470 +2.78
833–840 837 4 171.00–175.00 $172.99 $1,448 -7.01
881–889 885 13 173.00–174.50 $173.70 $1,537 -1.30
905 905 1 171.50 $171.50 $1,552 —
944 944 11 169.00 $169.00 $1,595 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–423 420 20 250.00–257.50 $253.76 $1,066 -21.24
456–490 459 32 256.00–262.50 $260.86 $1,197 —
515–548 534 28 244.00–258.00 $253.40 $1,353 —
585 585 2 227.00 $227.00 $1,328 —
692–693 692 24 200.00 $200.00 $1,384 —
745–746 745 15 195.00 $195.00 $1,453 —
835 835 2 175.50 $175.50 $1,465 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
652 652 6 198.00 $198.00 $1,291 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
743 743 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,352 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,124 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,168 +6.00
554–588 567 27 215.00–221.00 $218.12 $1,237 —
601–635 620 45 198.50–214.00 $210.86 $1,307 +2.59
655–677 675 9 192.00–199.00 $198.24 $1,338 +11.68
712–727 718 15 182.00–184.00 $183.19 $1,315 +1.89
724 724 7 171.00 $171.00 $1,238 -10.30
753 753 5 169.50 $169.50 $1,276 —
795 795 13 163.00 $163.00 $1,296 —
863 863 2 167.00 $167.00 $1,441 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
447 447 3 220.00 $220.00 $983 —
505–543 520 20 196.00–216.00 $210.90 $1,097 +10.90
555–594 584 8 191.50–194.00 $193.41 $1,130 —
604 604 4 180.00 $180.00 $1,087 —
605–645 631 10 183.00–194.00 $187.25 $1,182 —
678–683 678 31 183.00–185.00 $184.81 $1,253 —
727 727 3 169.00 $169.00 $1,229 —
755 755 5 148.00 $148.00 $1,117 —
824 824 4 149.00 $149.00 $1,228 —
852 852 3 149.00 $149.00 $1,269 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
582 582 3 170.00 $170.00 $989 —
737 737 3 159.00 $159.00 $1,172 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
501 501 4 212.00 $212.00 $1,062 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
674 674 4 125.00 $125.00 $842 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
633 633 4 221.00 $221.00 $1,399 —
710 710 6 199.00 $199.00 $1,413 +11.57
905 905 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,448 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,012 —
515 515 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,082 —
710 710 2 172.50 $172.50 $1,225 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035 1035 2 140.00 $140.00 $1,449 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1620 1425 80-85% 46 81.00–86.50 $84.56 $1,205 -6.74
1195–1665 1427 80-85% 115 85.00–97.00 $90.93 $1,298 -0.37
1440 1440 80-85% 1 85.00 $85.00 $1,224 -7.85
1443 1443 80-85% 3 107.50 $107.50 $1,551 +14.65
1275–1680 1447 80-85% 23 98.00–105.50 $100.82 $1,459 +7.97
1300–1685 1488 80-85% 14 87.00–95.00 $93.09 $1,385 -4.55
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–970 957 85-90% 5 73.00–79.00 $75.99 $727 -5.01
1080–1225 1167 85-90% 5 72.00 $72.00 $840 -14.60
1025–1345 1202 85-90% 30 75.00–85.00 $81.57 $980 -13.18
1025–1415 1212 85-90% 62 85.00–93.00 $87.98 $1,066 -6.77
1235–1305 1275 85-90% 10 95.00–97.50 $95.95 $1,223 +8.82
1295 1295 85-90% 1 87.00 $87.00 $1,127 -0.13
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1527–1635 1554 75-80% 4 97.50–98.50 $98.24 $1,527 +4.38
1420–1875 1589 75-80% 11 87.00–93.00 $88.70 $1,409 +1.70
1596 1596 75-80% 30 92.50 $92.50 $1,476 +5.50
1555–1935 1706 75-80% 13 92.00–96.50 $94.43 $1,611 +0.69
2055 2055 75-80% 1 97.50 $97.50 $2,004 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310 1310 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,376 —
1320 1320 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,214 —
1400–2100 1675 17 85.00–106.00 $96.19 $1,611 —
1640–2200 1907 5 107.00–112.00 $110.01 $2,098 —
1835–2340 2026 11 122.00–139.00 $132.02 $2,675 +1.95
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2290–2465 2378 2 114.00–123.00 $118.67 $2,822 —
2525–2760 2603 3 118.00–125.00 $122.53 $3,189 —
2715 2715 1 111.00 $111.00 $3,014 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
904–1363 1021 (<2 yrs)Open 87 112.00–160.00 $140.78 $1,437
800–1430 1134 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 30 91.00–138.00 $107.53 $1,219
1520 1520 (<2 yrs)Open 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,763
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
842–1160 899 (<2 yrs)Open 11 100.00–138.00 $123.33 $1,109
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
991 991 (<2 yrs)Open 7 103.50 $103.50 $1,026
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1005 1005 (<2 yrs)Open 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,095

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1430 1430 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 40 2,025.00–2,110.00 $2,046.25
1442 1442 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 2,200.00 $2,200.00
1442 1442 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 19 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1144–1263 1250 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 37 1,825.00–2,250.00 $2,207.95

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.